Seahawks' Percy Harvin to have surgery on injured hip

The answer to the biggest question hanging over Seahawks training camp came straight from the source.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin will in fact need surgery on the hip injury that has kept him out of practice, news that was broken on his verified Twitter account Tuesday.

Percy Harvin is expected to begin the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which would force him to miss at least the first six games. (AP)

"When everything is goin good sometimes life throw u a curve ball. Sorry to [have] to report that my injury will require surgery," the tweet read.

The Seahawks confirmed Tuesday night that Harvin will undergo surgery on Thursday.

Danny O'Neil of 710Sports.com reports that Harvin is expected to begin the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perfom (PUP) list, which would require him to sit out the first six games. In that scenario, Harvin could begin practicing after Seattle's Oct. 13 game at Tennessee, and the team would have to activate him – at the latest – by Week 15. NFL rules regarding PUP have changed this year, and players on PUP now have a five-week window in which they can begin practicing following the sixth game. Once the player begins practicing, the team has three weeks to activate him.

Harvin was in New York on Tuesday receiving a second opinion on whether surgery was necessary to repair a hip injury that landed him on the PUP list when training camp began last week. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll previously said any surgery Harvin might undergo wouldn't necessarily be season-ending, but it appears Harvin will miss at least a significant portion of his first season with the Seahawks.

"Nobody was more anxious and excited about season [than me], but I will be back strong as ever. I appreciate all the love and prayers 12th man," another tweet read.

The Seahawks paid a small fortune to acquire Harvin in March, giving up three draft picks – including this year's first-round choice – for the right to sign him to a six-year, $67 million deal. It was a move that added what the Seahawks considered an elite playmaker to an already potent offense, and some felt it made Seattle legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

It was a massive risk, though, not only because of the significant investment the Seahawks made in Harvin but also because they were bringing in a player whose tenure in Minnesota included plenty of drama and injuries.

Harvin missed 10 games and a significant number of practices during his four years with the Vikings, who drafted him in the first round in 2009.

He had missed earlier parts of Seattle's offseason program with a sore hip, but Carroll said he had been working out at full speed just a week earlier before experiencing pain in that joint when he reported to camp.

The Seahawks were hoping that Harvin could return in a matter of weeks without undergoing surgery, and Carroll noted over the weekend how non-surgical treatment helped safety Kam Chancellor play through a similar injury in the past.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with the correct timetable in which Harvin would have to be activated should be begin the regular season on the PUP list.